Google is testing bringing back the search options that is currently positioned at the top of the search results to the left hand side bar. Google had the side bar navigation as the default over a decade ago, and is now testing bringing it back.
Ben Fisher shared a screenshot (click to enlarge) of him seeing the Google Search side bar test:
Here is another:
— Muharrem Eminoğlu (@MentorPerplexed) April 19, 2022
Google is again testing the placement of the search bar menu icons on desktop. There's been several different variations of this test in recent months, this one features alignment to the left (similar to the newer knowledge panel display). Not a huge fan of how this one looks. pic.twitter.com/s3s5MMzb1z
— Brodie Clark (@brodieseo) April 19, 2022
Google has those options at the top as default for many many years, here is what the top bar looks like for most searchers:
If you go back to 2011, this is what the Google search side bar looked like:
In fact, searchers hated it so much when Google moved them to the top, Google was taking feedback on the change.
We've seen Google test other features on the left hand side bar before. We've seen Google test the search menu at the top right.
I doubt this will stick but who knows...
Forum discussion at Twitter.
